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Tigers hold off Rockets

MT. PLEASANT — After its early lead vanished, Mt. Pleasant was forced to rally in the fourth period to edge Forrest 26-21 in the first round of Class 2A playoffs Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Trailing 21-18 with 10:21 left in the game, the Tigers (7-4) responded with a touchdown and a two-point extra to earn a spot opposite Adamsville (9-1), who had a first round bye. Mt. Pleasant will travel to the play the West Tennessee school.

The six-play, 46-yard touchdown drive followed a 20-yard return of a short kickoff by DaVonte’ Webster. The TD came on a 2-yard plunge by senior Josh Russell.

Key plays on the march were a pair of completed passes by freshman quarterback Walt Crawford to Webster and Ken’Yores Smith five and 22 yards, respectively.

“I knew the offense would get the job done, and they did,” said Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Hoath.

The Rockets responded with a drive pass midfield to the 30, before they were turned away by the defense of the Tigers.

“We made a couple of key stops when we needed them,” Hoath said. “It took a total team effort to win the game.”

Mt. Pleasant scored on its opening possession, covering 71 yards and featuring an outstanding catch by Webster of a pass from Crawford that covered 41 yards.

With the game less than three minutes old, Corey Webster capped the march with a 4-yard run for a 6-0 lead, three plays after a key completion to Smith.

Mt. Pleasant’s Deminico Owens recovery of a fumble by the Rockets gave the Tigers another chance, but Forrest’s Thaddeus Reyes picked off a pass and returned it 60 yards to 30. Four plays later, quarterback Brooks Lamb scored on a 21-yard run. The Rockets took the lead on Andrew Charles’ point after attemp.

Following an onside kick, Mt. Pleasant scored six plays later on an 8-yard Crawford to Smith pass for a 12-7 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter.

Just over a minute later, Smith added to the lead with a 10-yard interception return after the Rockets had moved back from their own 40 to the 10 because of three penalties.

Down 18-7, the Rockets responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive with Brandon Beech scoring on a 5-yard run.

Forrest marched 96 yards for the go ahead score in 15 plays with Beech reaching the end zone from the 4.

Following Forrest’s final possession, the Tigers sealed the verdict on a leaping catch by Smith for a key first down.

The Rockets outrushed the Tigers 257-64, but had no passing yardage while Crawford completed 20 of 31 passes for 213 yards.

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